1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a separable bottle handle and more particularly, a reusable handle adapted to be secured to a plastic soft drink bottle between the neck and base of the bottle to aid in lifting the bottle and dispensing the contents thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soft drink manufacturers have introduced larger sized bottles as an economy measure. These bottles, typically two liter liquid containing bottles, are made of plastic and are of a large exterior diameter such that handling and manipulating of the bottles to pour the contents is somewhat inconvenient, particularly for children.
The bottle is provided with a flange-like member near the neck above which a threaded portion is provided for reception of an aluminum closure cap. The base of the bottle has either a cup-like base member which is adhesively secured to the bottom of the bottle and extends upwardly along the lower side wall of the bottle to rigidify the base and provide a smooth surface for seating the bottle on a plane surface or a plurality of integrally molded, spaced bumps or prongs used to support the bottle on a plane surface.
It has been proposed heretofore to provide reusable handles for soft drink bottles Examples of such handles are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,578; 4,368,826; 3,326,591; 3,056,622; 3,990,596; 4,299,366; 3,488,078; 1,825,897 and Des. 265,159. Indeed, in my prior, copending patent application, Ser. No. 572,447, filed Jan. 20, 1984, I disclosed a reusable handle for manipulating a large soft drink bottle provided with a cup-shaped base member. The handle had a hook-like portion for clamping the handle to the bottle neck and a prong portion insertable between the side of the bottle and the interior surface of the cup-shaped base, which removably locked the handle in place. An intermediate strap-like portion of the handle included a finger-gripping loop so the handle can be grasped and the bottle lifted to dispense its contents. However, none of the reusable handles illustrated in these patents or in my prior patent application are particularly suitable for use with a soft drink bottle having molded spaced bumps or prongs on its base, or if they are, operate in a manner completely different from the handle of the present invention, which is rigidly locked to the bottle so that the bottle cannot be accidently displaced relative to the handle during the pouring operation.